The Friday statement by President Muhammadu Buhari extending amnesty to any Boko Haram terrorists that repent has been generating controversies.
“While further efforts are being made to secure the release of every abducted citizen in Nigeria, the government is ever ready to accept the unconditional laying down of arms by any member of the Boko Haram group, who show strong commitment in that regard,” Buhari said yesterday at Aso Rock.
According to him, the country has suffered enough of hostility, so the government is appealing to all to embrace peace for the overall development of our people and the country.
While the Jama’tul Nasiri Islam headed by the Sultan of Sokoto said it was a welcome development, the Christian Association of Nigeria and the #BringBackOurGirls have rejected the idea.
JNI’s Secretary-General Abubakar Khalid-Aliyu, in an interview with the Punch, said it is all good so long as it brings peace, and those so pardomed are truly repentant and monitored before being reintegrated into society.
But CAN believes it is as a sign of weakness pardoning terrorists, though Christianity believes God pardons all sins, and love also does.
Its media officer Pastor Bayo Oladeji told the newspaper that there is no rhyme or reason to grant amnesty to criminals who have killed many people, and are in no way different from armed robbers, kidnappers, ritual killers, and corrupt people facing prosecution.
“Where on earth are we having all kinds of messy events being orchestrated by the government? May God deliver Nigeria!”he said.
That was how CAN resisted the idea when it was first floated by the former ruling party PDP under ex-President Goodluck Jonathan in 2014.
“While many people, some of whom are women and children are deprived of their bread winners, somebody somewhere who does not know how to live without security is saying give amnesty to some faceless individuals,” said Musa Asake, CAN’s secretary-general then, contrasting terrorism with militancy.
“It is unfair and these are the so-called educated elite in the north who would not even visit and see what is happening.”
It was only Father Mathew Hassan Kukah that spoke in favour of it in 2014.
“As a Christian I know that Jesus Christ never foreclosed the doctrine of confession and forgiveness.” he said in Benin City then at a birthdau ceremony.
“As a Christian you don’t let the members foreclose the door of reconciliation of the prodigal son.”
The # BBOG, which was neither here or there in 2014, also questions the policy now.
According to the group’s spokesperson, , some of the insurgents released later went back to join their colleagues.
“What is the strategy behind declaring amnesty for terrorists and releasing those in custody and allowing them to go back to what they were doing?” Sesugh Akume said.
But Jonathan’s reason for proposing amnesty to Boko Haram then was not different from Buhari’s now.
“My government while pursuing security measures, will explore all options, including readiness to accept unconditional renunciation of violence by insurgents, and to ensure their deradicalisation, rehabilitation and reintegration into the broader society”, he said in a Democracy Day broadcast May 29, 2014.
And it was a welcome policy back then, according to Afenifere, the Arewa Consultative Forum, and the Odua People’s Congress.
Buhari, still in the CPC then, also endorsed it.
“The president would have underscored a better mileage if he had acceded to that gesture when he visited Maiduguri and offered it conditionally for Boko Haram to come forward and lay down their arms,: said Yinka Odumakin, Afenifere’s national publicity secretary.
” We should have moved forward than what we have done now but it is never late than never.”
But Odumakin and Afenifere now see the amnesty offer in different light.
“We are getting uncomfortable with the way this government is getting close to Boko Haram,” said Odumakin, a former PA to Buhari.
The PDP has yet to speak officially on that.
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